Permanent wave solutions



Patented'Nov. 27, 1945 2,389,755 PERMANENT WAVE SOLUTIONS George S. Baker, Chicago, Ill.

No Drawing. Application December 21, 1942, Serial No. 469,677

18 Claims.

My invention relates to permanent wave liquids and is particularly concerned with the preparation of such liquids which enable the production of permanent waves on hair on the human head in the cold or at substantially ordinary room temperatures.

The permanent waving of hair comprises a substantial industry and many methods have heretofore been suggested and employed, but all methods with which I am familiar which have had any material success have involved the utilization of relatively high temperatures. Initially, the employment of temperatures of the order of the boiling point of water were found to be essential in order to produce satisfactory permanent waves. Later, developments were made which enabled the utilization of lower temperatures but in no case were fully satisfactory results obtained unless temperatures substantially in excess of 100 degrees F. were utilized.

Apart from the various disadvantages resulting from the utilization of elevated temperatures, such as the scorching and drying of the hair, other serious disadvantages inhered in methods and apparatus heretofore employed in producing permanent waves. Where machines have been utilized, they have been relatively expensive, required skilled operators and there was always a danger of possible burning or of electricshock. Where the so-called "machineless method has been used, it has been necessary to utilize chemical heating pads and so-called protectors which not only are somewhat cumbersome to employ but bring about the various disadvantages which inhere in any process which necessitates the uti lization of elevated temperatures.

I have evolved a novel permanent wave liquid which may be used to bring about the permanent waving of hair in the cold or at approximately room temperature, no heat or heat generating means being required. The utilization of my permanent wave liquid brings about numerous important advantages among which may be mentioned the elimination of any machines, pads, protectors, or other like devices. The permanent wave liquid, as compounded, is neither harmful nor injurious to the hair and, since neither heat nor electricity is used in the process of waving the hair, all problems which arise therefrom, such as possibility of burning, electric shocks, scorching of the hair and the like are eliminated. The hair may be waved by means of the employment of in novel permanent wave liquid in a simple and 'efllcacious manner, no undue stretching of the hair is required, and the practice of the invention, when the composition is properly employed, brings about regularly and uniformly excellent results.

My permanent wave liquid comprises an aqueous solution containing an alkali metal hydroxide, the term-alkali metal being used generically to include ammonium, an alkali metal thiocyanate and an alkali metal sulphite or bi-sulphite. I prefer particularly to employ the ammonium salts as, for example, ammonium hydroxide, ammonium thiocyanate and ammonium sulphite. Where other alkali metal salts are used, I prefer that they all have the same cation. Thus, for example, if potassium hydroxide is used, potassium thiocyanate and potassium sulphite should be used in combination therewith.

I have also found it to be particularly advantageous, in order to obtain the best results, to

' utilize, in addition to the aforementioned ingredients, an agent which enables the formation of a tighter curl, as, for example, monochloracetic acid or thioglycollic acid, or a mixture of monochloracetic acid and potassium hydrogen sulphide, which together make thioglycollic acid. In addition, I have also found it to be particularly desirable to employ a stabilizer which serves, in addition, to give a desirable luster or finish to the hair after the same has been treated with the permanent wave liquid. Suitable stabilizers are, for example, glycerine, ethyleneglycol, diethyleneglycol, other glycols and polyglycols such as propyleneglycol and triethyleneglycol, and ethers of glycols such as monoethyl ether of ethyleneglycol, diethyleneglycol monoethyl ether, and the like.

My particularly preferred compositions, therefore, contain water, ammonium hydroxide, am-

monium thiocyanate, ammonium sulphite, monochloracetic acid or thioglycollic acid, and a stabilizer, particularly, diethylene glycol monoethyl ether. The proportions of these various ingredients and the manner of preparation and use of the composition in the permanent waving of hair are set out hereinafter.

In the preparation of the liquid composition, I prefer initially to produce what may be called a base mixture or concentrate, which, upon proper dilution with water, produces the hair waving composition which is utilized in accordance with the present invention. The general range of proportions of ingredients, in parts by weight, which may be utilized in the preparation of the base mixture is as follows:

Water (preferably distilled) About 12.5 to about Ammonium h y d r o x ide (concentrated) About 1 to about 10 About 3 to about 9 About 4.5 to about 21 Ammonium thiocyanate- Ammonium sulphite Monochloracetic acid or Where the salts of the other alkali metals, other than ammonia, are employed, lesser amounts oi. the respective compounds are utilized. based upon the corresponding variations in molecular weights of the salts. The ammonium hydroxide, as indicated above, is concentrated and contains about 26% of ammonia. Where more dilute aqueous solutions of ammonia are utilized, the quantity should accordingly be varied.

'In order to obtain best results, it is particularly advantageous to admix the ingredients in the following order:

The water and the ammonium hydroxide are initially mixed and then the ammonium thiocyanate is added and mixed until it is dissolved therein. The ammonium sulphite i then added and, if thioglycollic acid is used, the latter is then added, after which the stabilizer is admixed. If monochloracetic acid is utilized, it may be added to the mixture either at the-same stage of the process as the thioglycollic acid is added, or, al. ternatively, the monochloracetic acid may be added after the remainder of the ingredients are intermixed and dissolved. After the base mixture is prepared, it is allowed to stand for a period of time, preferably from about 12 to about 36 hours. The resulting solution, when first made, has a rose color. the requisite amounts to bring about a dilution satisfactory for ultimate use of the composition. When water is added to dilute-the base mixture, the rose color tends to become less pronounced and, after standing for a day or two, the color disappears and the solution becomes clear waterwhite. In general, the finished permanent wave liquid, ready for use for the waving of the hair, contains from about 70% to about 90% of water.

Particularly preferred embodiments of my invention utilize the following ingredients in the following parts by weight:

Water (preferably distilled) About 500 Ammonium hydroxide (concentrated) About 35 Ammonium thiocyanate About 45 Ammonium sulphite About 70 Monochloracetic acid About 7.7

or Thioglycollic acid About Diethyleneglycol monoethyl ether About 4 Water (preferably distilled) About 80 Ammonium hydroxide (concentrated) About 17.5 Ammonium thiocyanate About 22 Ammonium sulphite About 35 Monochloracetic acid -1 About 7.5

Thioglycollic acid About 11.5 Diethyleneglycol monoethyl ether About 1.5

(Additional water is added to bring the per. centage thereof to between 70% and 90% by weight of the composition as a whole.)

Where other" ranges of proportions of alkali metal hydroxi des, thiocyanates and sulphites are Water may then be added in I 2,889,755 I be dried; No acid rinse should be used prior to the application of the permanent wave solution. The hair is then parted into even-ended strands and is moistened with the permanent wave liquid in any suitable manner as, for example, by an applicator. The liquid is then combed through the hair and the latter is wound on curlers under even tension, the curlers being wound close to the head and then looked in place in any suitable way. After the entire head is wound in the manner indicated, the individual curls preferably are each moistened again with the permanent wave liquid. The curls are then wetted or dampened with water and, for this purpose, a convenient method comprises enclosing said curls in a wet cloth, particularly a turkish towel wet with either lukewarm or cold water, the towel being wrapped around the head and a suitable hoodbeing then tied over the towel to hold the same in place on the head. The hair is then allowed to set for a period of time varying from approxmately ten minutes to thirty minutes, depending upon the texture of the hair and its ability to take a permanent wave. The hood and towel are then removed and a suitable fixative solution, for example, dilute hydrogen peroxide, with or without a small amount of acetic acid or other innocuous acid. is applied to each, curl, the latter then being preferably squeezed gently as the fixature liquid ,is applied. The application of the fixative liquid should be repeated several times, for example, two to four times. The curlers are then removed and the fixative liquid is preferably poured over the entire head and the hair is then rinsed with luke warm water and the waves are set in the usual manner.

It will thus be seen that I have evolved a highly effective hair waving liquid which possesses numerous advantages both in its action as well as in the mode of application to the hair to produce a permanent wave.

While I have described my invention in detail, it should be understood that the full scope thereof is not limited except by the claims since obvious variations and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of my teachings herein.

What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A permanent wave liquid which comprises an aqueous solution containing an alkali metal hydroxide, an alkali metal thiocyanate, and an alkali metal sulphite.

2. A permanent wave liquid which comprises an aqueous solution containing an alkali metal hydroxide, an alkali metal thiocyanate, an alkali metal sulphite, and a member selected from the group consisting of monochloracetic acid and thioglycollic acid.

3. A permanent wave liquid which comprises a major proportion of water and minor proportions of an alkali metal hydroxide, an alkali metal thiocya'nate, and an alkali metal sulphite.

4. A permanent wave liquid which comprises a major proportion of water and minor proportions of an alkali metal hydroxide, an alkali metal thiocyanate, an alkali metal sulphite, a stabilizer selected from the group consisting of aliphatic polyhydric alcohols and partial ethers thereof, and a member selected from the group consisting of monochloracetic acid and thioglycollic acid.

5. A permanent wave liquid which comprises an aqueous solution containing ammonium hydroxide, ammonium thiocyanate, and ammonium sul- Phite.

6. A permanent wave liquid which comprises an aqueous solution containing ammonium hydroxide, ammonium thiocyanate, ammonium sulphite, and a member selected from the group consistin of monochloracetic acid and thioglycollic acid.

7. A permanent wave liquid which comprises a major proportion of water and minor proportions of ammonium hydroxide, ammonium thiocyanate, and ammonium sulphite.

8. A permanent wave liquid which comprises a major proportion of water and minor proportions of ammonium hydroxide, ammonium thiocyanate, ammonium sulphite, diethyleneglycol monoethyl ether, and a member selected from the group consisting of monochloracetic acid and thioglycollic acid.

9. A permanent wave liquid containing the following ingredients in approximately the following ranges of percentages by weight:

Ammonium hydroxide 1 to Ammonium thiocyanate 3 to 9 Ammonium sulphite 4.5 to 21 Stabilizer selected from the group consisting of aliphatic polyhydric alcohols and 0.25 to 2 partial ethers thereof---" Water 12.5 to 75 10. A permanent wave liquid containing the following ingredients in approximately the following ranges of percentages by weight: Ammonium hydroxide 1 .to 10 Ammonium thiocyanate 3 to 9 Ammonium sulphite 4.5 to 21 Water 12.5 to 75 Thioglycolllc acid 0.5 to 3 11. A permanent wave liquid base containing the following ingredients in approximately the following percentages by weight:

Water 80 Ammonium hydroxide (concentrated 17.5 Ammonium thiocyanate 22 Ammonium sulflte 35 Thioglycolllc acid 11.5 Diethyleneglycol monoethyl ether 1.5

12. A permanent wave liquid containing the following ingredients in approximately the following percentages by weight:

13. A permanent wave liquid containing the following ingredients in approximately the following percentages by weight:

14. In a method of preparing a permanent wave liquid, the steps which include providing an aqueous solution of an alkali metal hydroxide, dissolving an alkali metal thiocyanate therein, and then dissolving an alkali metal sulphite therein.

15. In a method of preparing a permanent wave liquid, the steps which include providing an aqueous solution of an alkali metal hydroxide, dissolving an alkali metal thiocyanate therein, then dissolving an alkali metal sulphite therein, then adding a stabilizer selected from the group consisting of aliphatic polyhydric alcohols and partial ethers thereof, allowing the mixture to stand for at least several hours, and then diluting with water.

16. In a method of preparing a permanent wave liquid, the steps which include providing an aqueous solution of ammonium hydroxide, dissolving ammonium thiocyanate therein, then dissolving ammonium sulphite therein, then adding a stabilizer selected from the group consisting of aliphatic polyhydric alcohols and partial ethers thereof, allowing the mixture to stand for at least several hours, and then diluting with water.

17. In a method of preparing a permanent wave liquid, the steps which include providing an aqueous solution of ammonium hydroxide, mixing ammonium thiocyanate therewith, then admixing ammonium sulphite therewith, then adding diethyleneglycol monoethyl ether, allowing the mixture to stand for at least several hours, and then diluting with water.

18. In a method of preparing a permanen wave liquid, the steps which include providing an aqueous solution of ammonium hydroxide, dissolving ammonium thiocyanate therein, then admixing ammonium sulphite therewith then dissolving therein a member selected from the group consisting a monochloracetic acid and thioglycollie acid, allowing the mixture to standfor at least several hours, and then diluting with water.

GEORGE S. BAKER. 

